Sunday, March 1, 2009

First off, here is a photo of the gift scarf while being blocked. It didn't turn out quite as long as I would have liked (apparently I overestimated how far 440 yards would go on size 0 needles). It is definitely wider than I thought it would be as well...thank goodness it came out okay after blocking. I thought it was going to be ridiculously short. It still is on the verge of needing a shawl pin, and I might still get one before it is gifted. Next time I think I'll used bigger needles; maybe a size 2 or 3. Overall I am pleased with the result and am amazed at the power of blocking.

The LYS, Knitty Couture, is having a pair of socks a month knitalong this year that I decided to join midway through February (of course I would, it is the shortest month!). After knitting this sock to the beginning of the toe and deciding that it swallowed my feet, then starting over and somehow casting on one to few multiples of twelve and having to rip this out after the heel turn, I started over on my first sock. On the 19th. My first sock was done on Saturday the 21st, and I finished the second sock just in the nick of time on the 28th. I probably would have been done sooner if I had been able to continue at the same pace, but my hands were hurting and I took a few days break. I can't figure out if my hands hurt because of the yarn, or because I was using dpn. Either way, I love the result.

I just love the rainbow heel. DH picked out the yarn for me, and it is a super happy yarn (Ripples Craft, Carnival colorway). The pattern is the Rib Fantastic from the book Knitting with Handpainted Yarns. I think my sock posing turned out rather well.

Somehow yesterday I got conned into making a pair of socks for my husbands size 14 feet when we were in the yarn shop and he was looking at the blue sock yarn. In order to make sure that one sock is not significantly higher than the other, I am starting my first pair of toe-up and two at a time socks. Right now this only covers three of his toes.

I really love the yarn...it is certainly a lot softer than the previous sock yarn I used. Knitting with this yarn with the two circulars doesn't bother my hands as much either. Thank goodness for that. I don't know if I will do a stockinette foot or start a 2x2 rib on the instep that will be continued up the leg. I do want to try a short row heel, which will be another new experience for me. My goal is to have this pair done within four weeks, so I will have some time to start the next pair (for me) before the end of March. Don't worry, that is allowed. I also want to work on a hat pattern that I would like to submit to Knitty, but I will probably post it here if it doesn't make it. I'm also working on trying to figure out my first cardigan; hopefully some progress will be made before winter rolls around again. So, all in all, there is a lot on my knitting plate. Oh, that I had stayed a monogamous knitter!